Fluid dispenser

ABSTRACT

A fluid dispenser comprising: 
         at least one fluid reservoir ( 1 ) defining a substantially rigid neck ( 14 );    a substantially rigid casing ( 2 ) containing the reservoir ( 1 ); and    a dispenser member ( 5 ) engaged in the neck ( 14 ) of said at least one reservoir ( 1 ) in order to withdraw the fluid; 
 
the fluid dispenser being characterized in that it further comprises a holding element ( 3 ) engaged both with the neck ( 14 ) of the reservoir ( 1 ) and with the rigid casing ( 2 ) in such a manner as to hold the reservoir in place in the rigid casing.

The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser comprising: a fluidreservoir defining a substantially rigid neck; a substantially rigidcasing in which the reservoir is placed; and a dispenser member, e.g. apump, engaged in the neck of the reservoir in order to withdraw thefluid. In general, in such a dispenser implementing a reservoir and asubstantially rigid casing, the reservoir is often presented in the formof a flexible pouch which defines one or more deformable walls. In orderto secure the flexible pouch to the substantially rigid neck, severaltechniques exist. For example, it is possible to heat seal the openingof the flexible pouch onto a pouch support made from a substantiallyrigid material. Another technique consists in making the pouch and theneck integrally as a single piece by extrusion blow-molding or byinjection blow-molding. In order to make the neck rigid, it is made witha wall thickness that is much thicker than the thickness of the flexiblepouch.

Document FR 2 791 643 discloses a reservoir made integrally as a singlepiece by injection blow-molding or by extrusion blow-molding, forexample. The reservoir comprises a deformable body designed to containthe fluid, and a substantially rigid top portion which defines a neck.Below the neck, the substantially rigid portion extends in the form of abell having an outside diameter that is substantially equal to thediameter of the flexible body. In order to fix the reservoir in a rigidouter casing, a plurality of snap-fastening rings and a projectingcollar designed to co-operate with the rigid casing at its top openingare provided on the outer periphery of the rigid bell. Consequently, itcan be said that the reservoir integrates holding means enabling thereservoir to be fixed in place inside the rigid outer casing. Given thatthe holding means are integrated in the reservoir, they can co-operateonly with a rigid outer casing of a type specially adapted to receivethat particular reservoir. In other words, it is practically impossibleto use a particular reservoir with any rigid casing that is notspecially adapted to receive it.

The object of the present invention is to remedy the drawback of theabove-mentioned prior art by defining a fluid dispenser having areservoir and a rigid casing, in which the reservoir is held in place inthe rigid casing easily and rapidly whatever the rigid casing used. Theobject of the present invention is therefore to provide adaptability inholding the reservoir in place in any rigid casing.

In the invention, this object is achieved by a fluid dispensercomprising: at least one fluid reservoir defining a substantially rigidneck; a substantially rigid casing containing the reservoir; and adispenser member engaged in the neck of said at least one reservoir inorder to withdraw the fluid; the fluid dispenser being characterized inthat it further comprises a holding element engaged both with the neckof the reservoir and with the rigid casing in such a manner as to holdthe reservoir in place in the rigid casing. The holding element is aseparate piece fitted to the neck of the reservoir and also co-operatingwith the rigid casing. Given that most rigid casings are circularlycylindrical, it is very easy to make a holding element that is speciallyadapted to the diameter of the rigid casing. Thus, with any reservoirand with any casing, it is nevertheless possible to hold the reservoirin place in the rigid casing. That is where the capacity to adapt liesin the dispenser of the invention.

In order to fix the holding element on the neck of the reservoir, theholding element may include a substantially central fixing housingdesigned to receive the neck of the reservoir. The holding elementadvantageously defines an access passage opening out on thesubstantially central housing in such a manner that the neck of thereservoir can be engaged in the central housing via the access passage.Thus, in order to adapt the holding element to the neck of thereservoir, it suffices to provide a housing presenting a diameter thatis equal to or slightly greater than a portion of the neck, and toengage the neck in the housing via the specially provided accesspassage. In this way, it is possible to mount a holding element on aneck of any shape. The shape of the holding element may be particularlysimple, e.g. it may be in the shape of a plate presenting a contouradapted to the rigid casing, and surrounding, at least in part, the neckof the reservoir.

In an advantageous embodiment, the neck may form a narrowing via whichthe holding element becomes engaged with the neck.

The reservoir advantageously includes a deformable wall. The holdingelement therefore makes it possible to suspend the reservoir inside thecasing.

Advantageously, the reservoir may be of the above-mentioned type, i.e.with a flexible pouch defining at least one deformable wall. However, inthe present invention, any type of reservoir, e.g. a rigid glassreservoir, may be used. Naturally, however, the present invention findsa more advantageous application with flexible-pouch reservoirs, giventhat they are not held inside the rigid casing. It is precisely by usingthe holding element that the flexible-pouch reservoir is held inside therigid casing.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the dispenserfurther includes a fixing member provided with reception means forreceiving the dispenser member, and fixing means co-operating with theneck of the reservoir, said fixing means including an inner sleeve insealed engagement with the neck of the reservoir. The fixing memberadvantageously includes a peripheral skirt in engagement with thecasing. The fixing member preferably blocks the holding element in thecasing. Thus, the positioning of the inner sleeve, advantageously insidethe neck of the reservoir, is precise as a result of the outer skirtblocking the holding element which is itself fixed in position on theneck. The skirt may even come to bear on the holding element. Inaddition, the inner sleeve does not need to integrate special abutmentmeans for limiting its engagement inside the neck. Putting the fixingmember in place is simple once the reservoir is held in place in therigid casing by means of the holding element. It suffices to engage thesleeve in the rigid neck until the bottom end of its peripheral skirtbecomes snap-fastened in the casing. The holding element may even act asa reference for putting the fixing member in place, where the skirtcomes into abutment on the holding element. In addition, the holdingelement is blocked permanently in the rigid casing, thereby holding iteven more securely. The fixing member and the holding element thereforeco-operate with each other to improve the stability of the reservoir andof the dispenser member.

According to another aspect, the inside of the casing forms a bearingzone onto which the holding element comes to bear.

In addition, the holding element may be constituted by a plane cut-outplate.

In advantageous manner, the holding element forms a piece that isseparate from the dispenser member and from the casing, said at leastone dispenser member being received in and fixed on the holding element,said holding element being positioned, and advantageously fixed inplace, in the casing.

In an embodiment, the holding element may include two fixing housingseach designed to receive a reservoir neck.

The invention is described in more detail below with reference to theaccompanying drawings showing, by way of non-limiting example, oneembodiment of the invention.

In the figures:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-section view through a fluid dispenserconstituting a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a holding element of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-section view of the top portion of areservoir of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-section view of the top portion of a rigidcasing of the invention, showing the inside of the casing;

FIG. 5 is a laterally-exploded perspective view of a portion of adispenser constituting a second embodiment of the invention; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are views corresponding to FIG. 5 in the assembled state.

A fluid dispenser of the invention comprises four essential componentelements, namely a reservoir 1, an outer casing 2, a holding element 3,and a dispenser member 5 which can be a pump. Furthermore, in order tofix the pump 5 in the receptacle 1, it is preferable to use anadditional component element, namely a fixing member 4. Optionally, thedispenser can be provided with a cap 6 enabling the dispenser member 5to be protected.

The reservoir 1 which is shown in the figures is a special reservoirmade by extrusion blow-molding or by injection blow-molding.Consequently, it is a reservoir of the flexible-pouch type defining atleast one deformable wall. More precisely, the reservoir 1 comprises abody 10 closed at its bottom end by a reservoir bottom 11, and definingat its top end a shoulder 12 which is extended by a neck 14. In thiscase, the reservoir 1 is made integrally as a single piece. Its body 10and its bottom 11 are made with a wall thickness that is less than thethickness of the shoulder 12, and especially less than the thickness ofthe neck 14. Consequently, the body 10 and the bottom 11 define flexibledeformable walls, whereas the shoulder 12 presents a certain amount ofrigidity, and the neck 14 is the most rigid. FIGS. 1 and 3 show clearlythat the wall thickness increases progressively in the shoulder 12 so asto reach its maximum at the neck 14. FIG. 3 shows a variant of the FIG.1 reservoir, with a somewhat different neck design. However, thefunction of the two necks is exactly the same.

The use of a flexible-pouch reservoir made integrally as a single pieceby extrusion blow-molding or by injection blow-molding in order toillustrate the present invention must not be considered as limiting: onthe contrary, some other type of reservoir could very well be used, e.g.a flexible-pouch reservoir having a pouch that is heat sealed onto aseparate pouch support. A conventional reservoir having a rigid wallmade of plastics or even of glass could also be used. However, the useof a flexible-pouch reservoir is preferable for illustrating the presentinvention given that this type of reservoir is floppy without thecasing.

In the invention, the neck 14 of the reservoir is formed with anarrowing 13 which defines a portion of small diameter. The narrowing 13in FIGS. 1 and 3 is formed just above the shoulder 12 and just below areinforced portion 15 formed by the neck 14. The narrowing 13 can beformed at another place on the neck 14, e.g. in the vicinity of its topend. However, the positioning of the narrowing 13 in FIGS. 1 and 3corresponds to a conventional shape for a reservoir neck which generallypresents a narrowing where the neck 14 joins the shoulder 12.

The outer casing 2 is made with an appropriate material (plastics,glass, metal, etc.) enabling a certain rigidity to be imparted thereto.The outer casing 2 comprises a body 20, in this case a cylinder, closedat its bottom end by a casing bottom 21. At its top end, the body 20 isopen and defines a top portion 22 defining on its inside wall one ormore snap-fastening rings or beads 23. The top portion 22 is alsoprovided with bearing or abutment means 25 which, in this case, areprovided in the form of ends of ribs 24 which extend over the height ofthe body 20. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the inside wallof the body is formed with eight ribs 24 defining eight abutment orbearing ends 25 situated a little below the snap-fastening rings orbeads 23. It will easily be understood that a disk presenting a diameterthat is substantially equal to the inside diameter of the casing 20 canrest in stable manner on the eight ends 25. The ribs 24 extend over theheight of the body 20 so as to improve the stability of the reservoir 1inside the casing 2. Naturally, the function fulfilled by the ends 25 ofthe ribs 24 can be fulfilled by other means, e.g. by aninwardly-projecting peripheral radial flange. It is also possible toenvisage merely forming studs on the inside wall of the body 20.

In the invention, a holding element 3 is used for holding the reservoir1 in place inside the casing 2. In this case, the holding element 3 isin the form of a simple washer having a portion that has been removed.With reference to FIG. 2, the holding element is in the shape of anuppercase “c”. Naturally, it is possible to envisage other shapes forthe holding element, having functions that are described below. Theholding element 3 becomes engaged both with the neck 14 of the reservoir1 and with the casing 2 at its top portion 22. More precisely, theholding element co-operates with the narrowing 13 of the neck 14 andwith the abutment ends 25 of the casing 2. To do this, the holdingelement includes a central housing 31 having an edge 34 that presents ashape enabling it to be fitted around the narrowing 13 of the neck 14.To enable the neck 14 to be inserted in the housing 31, the holdingelement 3 advantageously forms an access passage 32 which opens out inthe housing 31. Thus, the holding element 3 can be engaged around theneck 14 at the narrowing 13 by passing the narrowing of the neck via theaccess passage 32. The access passage 32 opens wide onto the housing 31,but entry is nevertheless limited in such a manner that the edge 34 ofthe housing 31 can surround the narrowing 13 over more that half of itsperiphery. Thus, good stable fixing of the holding element 3 around thenarrowing 13 is achieved.

The holding element 3 also presents an outside edge 33 which enables theholding element to be engaged inside the body 20 in such a manner as tobe able to rest on the abutment ends 25. In the embodiment shown in thefigures, the casing 2, and the narrowing 13 of the neck 14 arecircularly cylindrical: thus, it is easy to make the holding element 3in the form of a simple washer with a circular inside edge 34 and also acircular outside edge 33. However, it is possible to envisage othershapes for the edges 34 and 33, but without modifying their functions atthe neck 14 and at the casing 2.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the holding element 3 is firstly engagedaround the neck 14 at its narrowing 13, and secondly comes to bear onthe abutment ends 25 formed inside the casing 2. In this way, thereservoir 1 is held in perfectly stable manner inside the casing 2. Itshould even be observed that the bottom 11 of the reservoir 1 issituated away from the bottom 21 of the casing 2. It can be said thatthe reservoir 1 is suspended inside the casing 2 by means of the holdingelement 3.

The holding element can be made in particularly simple manner asdescribed above, i.e. from a perfectly flat simple washer which can becut out or punched out from a plate. The holding element 3 is preferablymade of plastics material, but it can also be made of metal or of anyother appropriate material. Naturally, it is possible to envisage morecomplicated shapes for the holding element 3.

The dispenser member 5, which in this case is a pump, presents a body 50which is terminated at its top end by a snap-fastening collar 51. Thepump also presents a pusher 52 which is pressed to actuate itsmechanism.

The pump 5 can be engaged directly on the neck 14 of the reservoir 1like a stopper, with sealing by claming being provided between the body50 and a portion of the neck 14, e.g. at its narrowing 13. However, inthe invention, a fixing member 4 is used to fix the pump in the neck 14of the receptacle. The fixing member 4 includes reception means 41 inwhich the snap-fastening collar 51 of the pump 5 is received. In thisway, the pump 5 is held in stable manner in the fixing member 4. Belowthe reception means 41, the fixing member 4 defines an inner sleeve 42designed to be engaged in sealed manner in the neck 14. The sleeve 42extends around the body 50 of the pump 5, advantageously with a spacebetween the sleeve and the body. The fixing member 4 also includes aperipheral skirt 43 which extends around the reception means 41 and thesleeve 42. In the embodiment in FIG. 1, the peripheral skirt 43 isgenerally bullet-shaped. In the vicinity of its bottom end, the skirt 43forms a snap-fastening bushing 44 which has rings formed on its outsidethat are adapted to co-operate with the snap-fastening rings 43 formedin the portion 22 of the rigid casing 2. Above the bushing 44, the skirtforms a peripheral flange 45 which extends radially outwards. The flange45 is designed to come to bear on the top end of the portion 22 of therigid casing 2. It should be noted that the bottom end of the bushing 44formed by the skirt 43 comes to bear on the holding element 3, itself inabutment on the ends 25. In this way, the holding element 3 is blockedin position inside the casing 2, trapped between the abutment ends 25and the free end of the bushing 44. It should be noted that the contactbetween the bushing 44 and the holding element 3 serves as a referencefor positioning the inner sleeve 42 inside the neck 14. Given that theholding element 3 is mounted in fixed manner in position in thenarrowing 13 of the neck 14, the sleeve 43 is also positioned in precisemanner in the neck 14 as a result of the bottom end of the bushing 44bearing on the holding element 3. It is therefore not necessary toprovide a special abutment to limit the engagement of the bushing 42 inthe neck 14. The peripheral skirt 43 can optionally serve as a supportfor a cap 6 which comes to cover the skirt 43 and the pusher 52.

FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 show a second embodiment of a dispenser of theinvention which implements a holding element 3′ designed to receive tworeservoirs 1′. Each reservoir 1′ comprises a flexible pouch 10′ fixed ona pouch support 14′ which forms a neck defining an opening causing theinside of the flexible pouch 10′ to communicate with the outside.Although not shown, the pouch support 14′ includes a fixing member,advantageously fixed by heat sealing, and on which the opening of theflexible pouch 10′ can be fixed, advantageously by heat sealing. Thepouch support 14′ also comprises a top plate 12′ which extends justbelow a groove 13′ and which serves to fix the pouch support 14′ on theholding element 3′, as described below.

In this case, the holding element 3′ comprises a base plate 30′ in whichtwo housings 31′ are cut out, being open towards the edge of the plate30′ via access passages 32′. The access passages 32′ extend insubstantially opposite directions. The holding element 3′ also forms aring 36′ which extends upwards from the periphery of the plate 30′. Thering 36′ is also formed with lateral access slots 35′ which are situatedjust above the access passages 32′. This can be seen in FIG. 5.Furthermore, the holding element 3′ includes a partition 37′ whichextends below the plate 30′ substantially between the two housings 31′.

The reservoirs 1′ can be received in and mounted on the holding element3′ in a manner that is substantially similar to that of the firstembodiment described above. The narrowing 13′ formed by the neck of thepouch support 14′ is designed to be inserted and advantageously held bysnap-fastening inside a housing 31′ formed by the base plate 30′ of theholding element 3′. The edge 34′ of the housing 31′ thus becomes engagedin the narrowing or groove 13′, advantageously surrounding it over morethan half of its perimeter. Fixing is achieved in this way. In addition,as can be seen in FIG. 6, the top plate 35′ becomes engaged under theplate 30′. Thus, fixing is ensured by engaging the narrowing 13′ in thehousing 31′, and stability is ensured by positioning the top plate 12′under the plate 30′. It will easily be understood from FIGS. 5 and 6that the reservoirs can be put in place on the holding element 3′ byengaging their pouch supports 14′ via the slots 35′ and the accesspassages 32′. Once the reservoirs are mounted on the holding element 3′,as shown in FIG. 6, the resulting sub-assembly can be engaged as asingle piece inside a casing 2′, as shown in FIG. 7. The casing 2′comprises a barrel 20′ which can advantageously be of elongate, oval, orellipsoidal shape. As in the first embodiment, although not shown, theinside of the casing 2′ can be provided with bearing surfaces forreceiving the plate 30′. It should also be noted that the ring 36′ canbe omitted, but it nevertheless provides better stability for theholding element 3′ in the casing 2′. Once the holding element 3′ withits reservoirs is inserted in the casing 2′, as shown in FIG. 7, thereservoirs 1′ are held captive in the holding element 3′, given that thebarrel 20′ of the casing 2′ blocks the slots 35′ via which thereservoirs were engaged in the housings 31′.

In order to obtain a finished fluid dispenser, it then suffices to fillthe two reservoirs, and to mount dispenser members by means of a fixingmember, as in the first embodiment.

By means of the invention, practically any reservoir can be held inposition inside a rigid casing of any shape by using a holding elementof the invention which makes the connection between the neck 14 of thereservoir and the casing with remarkable adaptability.

1. A fluid dispenser comprising: at least one fluid reservoir (1)defining a substantially rigid neck (14); a substantially rigid casing(2) containing the reservoir (1); a dispenser member (5) engaged in theneck (14) of said at least one reservoir (1) in order to withdraw thefluid; and a holding element (3) engaged both with the neck (14) of thereservoir (1) and with the rigid casing (2) in such a manner as to holdthe reservoir in place in the rigid casing; the fluid dispenser beingcharacterized in that the holding element (3) forms a piece that isseparate from the casing and from said reservoir, the neck beingpositioned and fixed on the holding element, and said holding elementbeing positioned in the casing.
 2. A dispenser according to claim 1, inwhich the holding element (3) includes a substantially central fixinghousing (31) designed to receive the neck (14) of the reservoir.
 3. Adispenser according to claim 2, in which the holding element (3) definesan access passage (32) opening out on the substantially central housing(31) in such a manner that the neck (14) of the reservoir can be engagedin the central housing (31) via the access passage (32).
 4. A dispenseraccording to claim 1, in which the neck (14) forms a narrowing (13) viawhich the holding element (3) becomes engaged with the neck (14).
 5. Adispenser according to claim 1, in which the holding element ispresented in the shape of a plate surrounding, at least in part, theneck of the reservoir.
 6. A dispenser according to claim 1, in which thereservoir (1) includes a reservoir bottom (11) remote from the neck(14), and the casing (2) also includes a casing bottom (21), saidreservoir bottom (11) not coming to bear against the casing bottom (21).7. A dispenser according to claim 1, in which the reservoir (1) includesa deformable wall (10, 11), and is advantageously made integrally as asingle piece by injection blow-molding or by extrusion blow-molding. 8.A dispenser according to claim 1, further including a fixing member (4)provided with reception means (41) for receiving the dispenser member(5), and fixing means (42) co-operating with the neck (14) of thereservoir, said fixing means (4) including an inner sleeve (42) insealed engagement with the neck of the reservoir.
 9. A dispenseraccording to claim 8, in which the fixing member (4) includes aperipheral skirt (43) in engagement with the casing (2).
 10. A dispenseraccording to claim 8, in which the fixing member (4) blocks the holdingelement (3) in the casing (2).
 11. A dispenser according to claim 1, inwhich the inside of the casing (2) forms a bearing zone (25) onto whichthe holding element (3) comes to bear.
 12. A dispenser according toclaim 1, in which the holding element is constituted by a plane cut-outplate.
 13. A dispenser according to claim 1, in which the holdingelement includes two ficing housings each designed to receive areservoir neck.